It has been QUITE the two days. Anthony, Tim and I (Abigail) had special invitations to sit in the very front section of the Vigil, so we headed out of the Residence pretty early in the morning on Saturday. Elizabeth, Amanda, Emily and I (Clare) soon followed, after hearing how hectic the venue was even though it was SEVEN hours before the Pope’s scheduled arrival.
Abigail: Being SO close to the altar was amazing. We literally baked in the sun, but bonded with some folks around us and were able to relax a bit after the journey it was to find the correct entrance.
Clare: The venue was actually a huge airport, Cuatro Vientos. It seemed like we were in a giant, hot desert. We were assigned to a section far back, but near the center. Though it seemed like a refugee camp at times (lack of water, lack of shade, terrible “bathrooms”, and frequent ambulance trips to pick up ill pilgrims), there was definitely a party atmosphere.
Abigail: My favorite part of the Vigil was Adoration. It was the one time the entire evening when all 1.5 million pilgrims or so were all completely silent and reverent. I was awestruck by the peaceful environment. I could truly feel the present of the Spirit. But during the Vigil, the skies suddenly darkened, and Anthony and I knew the clouds would not hold out very long...
(wizard of oz is my favorite movie sorry :) -abigail)
Clare: Warned by the lightening on the horizon, we tried to cover our belongings before the rain and wind started to pick up. We had been thirsty all day, and praying for water, and the Pope himself remarked that God was about to answer our prayers. All of a sudden, it was a torrential downpour.
Abigail: Sitting in our “VIP” seats, we began to get soaked. Luckily, a nice couple next to us took pity and offered an umbrella. The rain was so heavy that the Vigil was put on hold momentarily. At some point, while the Pope was shielded by a huge white umbrella, a church official grabbed the mic and asked the crowds to put our prayers together to stop the rain. Well, gosh darn it, a few minutes later the rain actually stopped.
Clare: After the Vigil, Abigail and Anthony came back to our reserved spot to join our camp for the rest of the evening. Thus began our quest for sleep... It was really difficult to fall asleep in such uncomfortable accommodations (my mat in particular had a hole in it!). There were also a lot of bugs. Emily had an anthill under her bed. Enough said. Despite this, we had fun talking late into the night.
Abigail: As it’s been crazy hot here in Madrid, I thought just a sheet would be fine for sleeping outside on my mat. Boy was I wrong. It was FREEZING. Maybe it was because it was such a switch from the daytime 104ish degree temp, but when the sun finally began to rise I was eternally grateful. I had been literally shivering for the last couple hours of the night. Within 30 minutes of waking up, the “jumbotrons” and speakers were back in action. We were rather loudly instructed (in very poor English might I add) to start preparing for the Pope’s arrival. This put us in a better mood. Pilgrims resumed their chants, and it was once again an exciting and energetic place.
Clare: The Pope insisted upon riding through the crowds in his “Popemobile” before the mass began. Though he didn’t come close to our section, it really meant a lot that he cared that much about “the juventud de papa” [this was one of the frequent chants of the crowd, meaning “we are the youth of the Pope”]. The mass itself was, of course, magnificent. There were rows and rows of concelebrants. The homily was inspiring, as Pope Benedict talked about staying close to Christ and bringing Christ to others.
Abigail: Pope Benedict expressed his pride and love for all of the pilgrims present, which really meant a lot. After a rough night with very little sleep, it suddenly all seemed worth it. He spoke about how the Lord wants to accompany each of us on the journey that is each of our lives. He connected the Gospel, in which Jesus asks Peter “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”, to the fact that faith is more than just “empirical facts”. We are called to build a personal relationship with Christ.
Clare: After the announcement that the next World Youth Day, in 2013, will take place in Rio de Janeiro Brazil(!), we made our way to the exit to begin the long commute home to the Residence. Since then, we have been showering, resting and packing in preparation for our flight in the morning.
It’s been a fantastic trip. We’ve shared laughter, tears and everything in between. We are so glad we were able to keep you updated on our adventures. We’ve been praying for you the whole way. We have so many great pictures, and will work to put together an online album when we get home.... We’ll post the link as soon as we can!
MUCH LOVE.
<3 Clare & Abigail
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